This invention relates to cast nets used for fishing, specifically to a cast net deployment assisting device, a cast net incorporating the deployment assisting device, and a method of deploying cast nets.
Nets have been used for many centuries for capturing fish and other aquatic life. These nets come in many shapes and sizes to meet several different applications and quarry sizes.
One type of fishing net in particular is called a cast net. It is comprised of a netlike fabric, typically disc shaped in it""s deployed configuration with a thicker weighted cord attached to the circumference of the net. Radial draw strings are tied in even increments to the circumference of the weighted cord and are routed and joined, through a central hub, to the central part of the net, much similar to the spokes on a bicycle wheel.
In normal casting operation, the cast net is first grasped towards the central hub, with the weighted cord hanging downwards. The net then exhibits a vertical and predominately conical shape with the central portion in the raised position and the weighted circumference in the lower position in a scalloped circular pattern. During deployment, it then becomes the operators task to accurately transform the conical shaped net into a predominately planar disc shaped net, while at the same time directing this disc shaped net upon the water surface above the aquatic life being sought.
Upon contacting the water, the weighted cord around the perimeter of the net rapidly descends in the water column and the aquatic animals are restrained between the net and either the water floor or the weighted net perimeter as the net returns to a predominately conical configuration. The draw string lines are then slowly retrieved while the central hub of the net gravitates downward and eventually comes to rest in close proximity to the weighted periphery of the net. At this point, the net has been transformed into a generally toroidal shape, thus entrapping the aquatic animals within the net.
While the construction of a typical net is simple, the mechanics of throwing one is far more difficult. It takes many hours of practice to achieve a consistent circular deployment. The almost universal method of achieving the net transformation from the vertical conical configuration to a horizontal disc configuration involves lifting a portion of the weighted cord and applying centrifugal force to the remaining weighted cord by swinging the entire net around the operator in a motion similar to an Olympic Hammer toss. The weighted circumference of the net then provides the centrifugal force necessary to pull outwardly on the net and to expand the diameter of the weighted cord, thus the diameter of the cast net.
Many of the traditional methods of throwing a cast net require placing portions of the wet and dirty net either held in one""s mouth, or placed over one""s shoulder or arm. Even with hours of practice, these methods are inconsistent. Often a potentially good throw is spoiled by having the net catch on nearby upright objects such as boat seats, fishing poles, landing nets, or snag on the buckles and buttons of the operator.
Most currently used throwing methods also require that the net be swung around the operator through at least a 270 degree rotation, which means that the operator must turn his back and temporarily loose sight of the intended moving target.
As can be well imagined, the successful deployment of said cast nets can only be reasonably assured in the hands of trained and practiced individual. The weekend fisherman rarely becomes efficient enough at throwing a cast net to use the net as his primary source of bait and shrimp, and is thus forced to rely upon the expensive and inconsistent supply of bait fish from bait shops.
In spite of the antiquity of such nets, little has been done to facilitate the ease of use or their deployment. U.S. Pat No. 4,607,448 addresses a conical device that attempts to pre-form the weighted portion of vertically held net into a more circular shape. The device then becomes the throwing device. Unfortunately this device requires the operator to hold the entire weight of the net, which can total 3-15 pounds, solely by the strength of the operator""s wrist. This action can become quickly tiring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,061 claims to facilitate the deployment of a cast net by providing a means of holding up a portion of the weighted cord rather than having the operator place a portion of the dirty weighted cord in his teeth. Although marginally advantageous for smaller nets, the use of this device on larger nets is ineffective because the longer nets would drag on the ground.
Recently, attempts have been made to facilitate the deployment of cast nets by rigidly affixing a ring to the central hub portion of the net. The purpose of said device is to hold the leading portion of the conically held net open prior to throwing, much the same as the multitude of the current casting methods that require the operators to hold the leading portion of the net in their teeth or over their shoulders. This design does nothing to address the imparting of a centrifugal motion to the individual weights other than to swing them, in unison around the operator similar to the many other methods previously mentioned. In addition, this device is only practical for use on smaller three to five foot radius nets because the deployment requires an obstacle free area around the operator greater than the radius of the net, and like the many other casting methods, requires the operator to lose sight of his target as the net is swung through a circle in excess of 270 degrees. In addition, the centripetal force required to manipulate larger heavier nets with a very large radius could prove to be destructive to the netting fabric.
The primary objective of this invention is to provide a device which is easy to use and provides for a more effective and consistent deployment of a cast net by even the novice operator.
Another objective of this invention is to effectively separate and pre-align the scalloped portions of a vertically hung cast into a circular configuration, and to prevent tangling when thrown, while at the same time, not restricting the effective opening and closing of the net.
Another objective of this invention is to provide centrifugal force at or near the multitude of peripheral weights rather than at some point further up the netting fabric.
Another objective of this invention is to reduce the circumferential and lower body clearance area required to launch a cast net such as while in waist deep water, or on a boat or pier with raised obstructions within a several foot radius.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a method of throwing of a cast net that does not require the operator to rotate and loose sight of the moving target prior to throwing.
Another objective of this invention is to provide an improved cast net throwing device that is particularly effective on nets of all of the commonly used radiuses from three to eight feet and more.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a cast net throwing device that is unaffected by wind, and that can be used with equal effectiveness on targets from zero to twenty plus feet from the operator.
These objects are accomplished by slidably mounting a throwing device on the drawstrings on a lower or first side of the net material of a cast net. The throwing device includes a number of transverse drawstring openings spaced apart radially about a throwing device center axis. In the preferred form of the invention, a separate drawstring opening is provided for each drawstring. In this preferred form of the invention, each drawstring extends through its respective drawstring opening and the opening is sized so that the drawstring may freely slide through the respective drawstring opening. Importantly, the throwing device is not attached directly to the net material but instead is free at all points to move relative to the net material with each drawstring sliding through the respective drawstring opening.
The throwing device, being slidably mounted on the drawstrings, is capable of sliding on the drawstrings between a deployed position and a initial position. In the initial position, the throwing device is positioned at the distal ends of the cast net drawstrings adjacent to the weighted peripheral edge of the cast net material. Since the throwing device is of relatively small diameter as compared to the net material, holding the cast net by the central hub and placing the throwing device in the initial position causes the net to fold together to form generally a cone shape with the peripheral edge of the net material forming the base of the cone located adjacent to the peripheral edge of the throwing device and with the net hub forming the tip of the cone shape. In the deployed position, however, the net material is laid out generally in a plane with the throwing device located at a center of the laid-out net material. The drawstrings in this position extend from the cast net hub radially along the plane of the laid-out net material through the respective drawstring opening in the throwing device and ultimately to the weighted periphery of the cast net.
In the preferred form of the invention the drawstring openings in the throwing device each comprise a radially extending slot. Each such slot extends from a central portion of the throwing device to a point near the peripheral edge of the throwing device. Each drawstring slot may be generally linear in shape or may be curved, with each slot curved in a common direction.
Regardless of the particular shape of the drawstring openings, the openings allow the drawstrings to slide therethrough so that the throwing device may move along the drawstrings from the initial position to the deployed position. This movement of the throwing device may be accomplished by imparting a spin to the throwing device about a central perpendicular axis of the disk while the disk is in the initial position. This spin also imparts a spin to the weighted peripheral edge of the cast net causing the weighted peripheral edge to rapidly expand and cause the net material to assume the generally planar, laid-out shape. As the net material assumes this laid-out planar shape, the drawstrings each slide through their respective drawstring opening in the throwing device, ultimately placing the throwing device in the deployed position at the center of the laid-out net material.
The throwing device provides a fixture which, in the initial position, causes the peripheral weighted edge of the cast net to conform to a shape that may be spun to generate the desired net deploying centrifugal force. Placing the throwing device in the initial position also organizes the net material in a convenient shape allowing the net to be held easily by the user prior to imparting the spin and throwing the net. The throwing device also organizes the drawstrings and provides a guide for the drawstrings to deploy properly to the laid-out position of the net material.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description and claims.